A Little Dose of Reality
by HuntingStarlight
Summary: Annabeth Chase lives in a world where reality melds with stereotypes. And, for better expression, she's sick of it. Perseus "Percy" Jackson lives in New York City, and no, dreams do not come true there. Since when is having cancer anybody's dream? When Annabeth gets sucked into Percy's world, the duo are in for one hell of a surprise. Maybe they'll learn that the world isn't so bad
1. Chapter 1

**A Little Dose of Reality**

**~Chapter One~**

**How it all Began**

* * *

Percy clutched his book bag closer to his chest, as he ran down the darkened streets of New York City. His phone rang, its light seeping through the thin fabric of his bag. Leaning against the cool brick of an apartment as to catch his breath, Percy slid his finger across the screen, answering the call.

"Mom?" His mother's voice crackled through the speaker, worried, yet calm. "Percy. Oh, thank God. Where are you?" Percy stared up at the street sign, internally cursing his dyslexia.

"Uh...Bennett and Broadway." She sighed, and Percy could practically see her shaking her head.

"Let me start up the car. I'm coming to pick you up. You really shouldn't be running around at twelve at night Percy..." Percy sighed, which turned into a hacking cough, and he wheezed.

"Yeah...sure Mom." And he hung up the phone, sinking to his feet against the brick wall.

Acute myeloid Leukemia. It was a bastard of a disease, and Percy hated it, and everything it stood for. He couldn't do basically anything in his parent's eyes. He got pity, and that was the one thing Percy hated more than anything-pity. He didn't need it. He was getting treated, for fuck's sake!

But honestly, even Percy knew that it was fatal. He was probably going to die, despite the fact the he was being treated.

The world, was an awful place to be living in.

* * *

Annabeth clutched her binder closer to her chest. She was in New York City-finally, out of California!

So why was she so nervous?

Annabeth knew she could answer the question.

Everyday in California, ever since she started high school, she had been classified as a stereotype. And when she broke that stereotype, everything came crashing down, all around her.

The whispers. The rumors. The all hurt, because girls were cruel, and boys were just assholes without knowing anything.

So she'd accepted it with open arms when her father had told her he was getting transferred to New York.

The reason she was scared?

Annabeth was scared of being stereotyped all over again.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the classroom, her head held up high, ignoring the glances and whistles thrown her way. Walking up to the chalkboard, she wrote down her name, then faced the class.

"Hi. My name is Annabeth Chase, and I'm transferring here from California." The teacher nodded at her, then monotoned,

"Miss Chase, you can take the empty seat next to Mr Jackson. Raise your hand please Mr Jackson, and take down that hood." A boy in the back of the room raised his hand, slouching in a black hoodie. Annabeth strode over to him, and said,

"Hi. I'm Annabeth, what's your name?" The boy just grunted, and turned to face the window. Annabeth seethed.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!"

"Percy. My name is Percy." Annabeth nodded, and then he turned to the window again.

This was sooo going to be a long year.

* * *

**Ohayo minna!**

**Guess who's back with a new story!**

**Ren!**

**So, enjoy it.**

**Maybe a little review? **


	2. Chapter 2

**A Little Dose of Reality**

**~2~**

**The Rest of Us**

* * *

Percy sat in the chair, his thumbs whirling around each other, somewhat akin to a dance. The IV drip containing the chemo was hooked up to his wrist, the thin silver needle snug underneath his skin.

Percy didn't get the point of doing chemotherapy again. He was a relapse AML patient, for fuck's sake, not a freshly diagnosed one! They had tried and done the hematopoietic stem cell transplant, and it had failed-the cancer cells had just continued to multiply.  
A cold sensation washed over Percy's form, and the teen fought with his urge to hurl all over the pristine floors of the hospital ward.  
His stomach flipped and flopped, and Percy nearly lost his lunch all over again.

* * *

He was glad when it was over.  
Percy laid in his bed, face buried into a dark green pillow, his stomach flipping a flopping, beads of cold sweat lining his face like a frame. Why were the doctors so insistent on the chemotherapy? Couldn't they just leave him to die in frigging peace?  
Percy squeezed his wrist, which throbbed red, smarting from the swift removal of the needle that was hooked to the chemo.

He was pale, his eyes were hooded, and he rarely went out. Percy's mom pushed him to join a cancer support group, but he had resisted, skipping it until Sally Jackson had just pulled him out.  
"Depression is a side effect of cancer." His doctor had droned.  
On that matter, Percy had to agree with the words of Hazel from The Fault in Our Stars-depression was not a side effect of cancer, it was a side effect of dying, as was cancer.

His head was pounding, and Percy didn't think he would be able to make to school the next day.

Of course, his mother made him go.

* * *

Slouching in his seat, Percy shivered, hoping that the nose blonde next to him didn't notice, because honestly? Percy didn't need another person pitying him because he was a "cancer kid."

Fucking fakes.

The bell rang, and Percy practically ran out of the room, despite his obvious un-ability to do so.

(he was wheezing on a less than five-minute run to the music. thank the fucking gods that it was after school.)

Percy ran his pale fingers over the taut strings on the guitar, relishing in the soft twang of the strings, and began to pick out a tune.

* * *

_I'm okay, I'm okay,  
Kinda being awkward socially  
With the fact, with that girls  
Don't lose their shit when they look at me_

(shallow breaths, he missed this freedom so much)

_It's okay, it's okay,  
That I'm not that good at anything  
And I don't hit the notes perfectly  
When I try to sing_

_Oh-oh I know why I'm not alone  
So turn the music up and let go_

(no more of that "lame loser" shit that the jocks pulled  
he didn't give a rat's fucking ass anyways)

_Here's to the rest of us  
To all the ones that never felt they were good enough  
I wanna hear it for the chased and confused  
The freaks and the losers  
Let's point them out  
Here's to the rest of us  
The rest of us_

(that new girl too; who the fuck did she think she was?)

_I'm okay, I'm okay  
I don't need to be a billionaire  
(So fricking bad!)  
And my trust fund hopes are looking sad_

_I confess, I'm a mess  
I'm perfectly dysfunctional  
But I don't give a damn  
If you feel the same  
Let me hear you sing_

_Oh-oh I know why I'm not alone  
So turn the music up and let go_

(this fucking freedom that had been robbed of him for so long...)

_Here's to the rest of us  
To all the ones that never felt they were good enough  
I wanna hear it for the chased and confused  
The freaks and the losers  
Let's point them out  
Let's point them o-o-out_

_Here's to the rest of us_  
_We do it better than the rich and the fabulous  
I wanna hear it for the nothing to lose  
With something to prove  
Let's point them out  
Here's to the rest of us_

_The lost, the geeks, the rejects, the losers  
_

_The wrong, the freaks, the hopeless, the future  
The lost, the geeks, the rejects, the losers  
The wrong, the freaks, the hopeless, the future  
The rest of us_

* * *

Percy let go of the guitar, his breaths shallow.

Slow claps came from the doorway.

(oh holy shit, he forgot to lock the damn door)

It was Annabeth, that nosy-ass blonde chick from California.

(god, she just couldn't leave him alone, could she?)

"You were really good, Percy. Would you mind playing that again?"

(and for the first time in forever, Perseus Jackson felt something other than resentment and other depressing emotions. it was a start)

* * *

**Ohayo minna-san! **

**Sorry, I'm re-uploading this~something super weird happened last time...I dunno. **

**Sorry about the late update as well~I feel really bad, but the chapter is long!**

**(gods fucking damnit over 3000 words...)**

**Thanks to all of you who have reviewed, favorited, and followed this story so far! **

**Shout out to vovo611 for the help!**

**Sayonara!**

**~Ren**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three** **Of Fights and Bad Days**

0~0

One year had passed

Perseus Jackson and Annabeth Chase had begun to get used to the other's presence.

But something was wrong.

Percy hadn't shown up to school for a week, and Annabeth had gotten worried.

Sure, the ebony haired teen had missed school every now and then, but he had never missed so many days at once.

Peering out into the rainy skies of New York, Annabeth Chase sighed.

Oh, he had better be alright.

0~0

After school, Annabeth ran down the rain filled streets of the city, and ducked into Olympus Records-Percy's favorite music shop.

"Hey Annabeth! Where's Perce?" Luke called from the front counter as he wiped it down.

"I don't know Luke-that's the problem. Hey, do you think you could help me pick something out for him?" The grey eyed blonde replied, as she stalked down the practically empty rows of CDs and records. Luke leapt off of the counter, and loped over to the girl.

"Sure, why not? Here. Follow me, because I don't think Percy is interested in lullabys..."

Blushing, Annabeth followed Luke, clutching her book bag closer to her.

___0~0_

Twenty minutes later, the blonde ran out of the shop, yelling her thanks to the college student. Dashing down streets, and up avenues, the Chase girl followed the ever so familiar path to the Jackson residence. Pushing the glass doors of the apartment complex, Annabeth waved hello to Janus, the doorman, and made her way up to the fifth floor. Knocking on the door, Annabeth heard padding footsteps make their way towards the door, as Sally Jackson pulled the door open, a small smile on her face.

"Oh, hello Annabeth. Would you like to come in?" Nodding, the blonde teen slipped into the foyer, and asked, sliding off her shoes.

"Where's Percy?" Mrs. Jackson paled, and she said,

"He's in his room. Would you like to-"

"Yes! Please, he hasn't been in class for a week!"  
0~0

When Annabeth stepped into Percy's room, she wasn't proud of it, but she slapped him.

She slapped him _hard._

"Owwww!" Percy brought a pale hand up to his throbbing cheek, glaring weakly at the blonde teenager.

"That's for not being in class for a week! What the heck is-" Annabeth stopped, taking in Percy, and his ragged appearance. Said boy laughed hoarsely.

"Sorry-chemo hasn't been good to me lately."

"C-chemo? As in, chemotherapy?" Percy gave her a weird look.

"Well...yeah. Wait a sec-" He paused, for a moment, seemingly looking over the information in his head. "I never told you, did I?"

"No. No you didn't. Because if you had told me earlier, you wouldn't be heading to an early grave!"

Percy's expression grew grave, his brow furrowing as his sea colored eyes grew dark with fury.

"No, if I had told you earlier, I still would be dying!"

"Liar," scoffed Annabeth. "Didn't you just tell me that you were going through chemotherapy?"

"Well, chemotherapy doesn't always work! Ever thought of that?" He exclaimed, arms flailing. Concerned, Annabeth watched as Percy coughed, doubling over in his bed. "Go away. Just GO AWAY!" He yelled, glaring painfully at Annabeth, his eyes watering with the force of the coughs.

Giving Percy one last look, Annabeth set the wrapped CD onto his desk, and left the apartment, fuming.

0~0

Ohayo minna-san!

How are you all? I'm OK...I guess. So, here's the new update-sorry it's so late, I've had very little time with finals coming up and all that jazz.

I hope that the new chapter of Scars will be out soon, so yeah.

Thank you all for favoriting, following, and reviewing!

Sayonara!

~Ren


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four (preview)**

**Also, this chapter is dedicated to vovo611! Happy birthday!**

Percy watched Annabeth go, then turned to the CD laying on his desk innocently.

"Geez..." He muttered. Reaching for it, Percy unwrapped the CD, only to pause mid-way, and chuck the thing into the wall. It didn't smash or break though, and Percy only felt more frustration build up in him. "GODDAMNIT!" He yelled, thin fingers tearing at black strands of hair. Falling back, Percy smushed his face into a pillow, holding the cotton material like it was a lifeline. "She doesn't understand...I was stupid to think she'd be able to..." He murmured, eyes downcast.

"Percy? Come on, we've got to go!" Sally called from outside of his bedroom. Sighing, Percy let go of the pillow, and slipped off of the bed, pulling off his blood-soiled pajamas, and pulling on a fresh pair of jeans, and a white cotton shirt. He swiped his nose once more, checking for another nosebleed, but he found none. Odd, but welcome. And he headed off.

* * *

Annabeth got the news a week later. Percy wasn't coming back to school, he was in the ICU.

And that day, three more kids missed school: the Grace siblings, and Nico Di Angelo.

So after school she went to the hospital that he was at.

The white was awful, and it gave her shivers at the sterile feeling the room gave off.

Mrs. Jackson was inside of the room, with the Grace siblings and Nico, so Annabeth backed off, intent on giving them some space.


End file.
